The Portland daily press., 1887-12-01
The Meaning of Anarchy.

The attempt of Herr Most at his trial to
explain bis own belief will not afford any
great light to those who would understand
the true meaning of Anarchist theories.
The practices and the preachings OF Anarchy
as observed in America have tended to the
overturning Of the present social order, and
to nothing else SO far as can be observed.
Anarchy has seemed like blind rage. Yet
the widespread sympathy for the seven men
in Chicago, expressed often by respectable
people, as well as the readiness with
which bail was offered for Most by law
abiding citizen, have impressed the thought
full person with the idea that anarchy must
mean something besides the subversion Of
law, that over the ruins Of the present social
structure the Imagination Of the Anarchist
must picture the erection of fairer temple
OF order, In which the affairs of mankind
shall be adjusted without clashing. Most's
declaration that it took him ten years to
understand Anarchy may also strengthen
the conviction that there is something more
to Anarchy than is commonly supposed, I'M
less deep seated belief in Most's stupidity
shall make his statement obviously reason
able. Most's declaration that he is Com
iluuiobC AHoAChAsby anu viz AoDb choD hO ms
ured in Germany as Socialist until he was
expelled from the Social Democratic Party
at its congress in Wyden, Switzerland, in
1880, confounds still more him who would
know what Anarchy really means. ASocial-
list has been briefly defined as one who looks
to society organized in the State for aid in
bringing about more perfect distribution OF
economic goods, and an elevation Of humani-
ty. A Communist, on the other hand, desires
that all ranks and differences in society
shall disappear, that one man shall be as
good as another. In his recent work on
"French and German Socialism in Modern
Times" Professor Richard I. Ely, insisting
that Socialism and Communism should be
distinguished, says: "The distinctive idea of
Socialism is distributive justice. 1t goes
back of the processes of modern life to the
fact that he who does not work, lives on the
labor Of others. 1t aims to distribute econ
omic goods according to the services rend-
cred by the recipients. We see thus that the
word socialist is most inclusive. Every
Communist is a Socialist, and something
more. Not every Socialist is a Communist"
But Socialists and Communists believe that
there must be new Social order, in which
the distribution Oh goods shall be more fay
orable to the masses than at present. But
while the Socialists would allow merit to be a
consideration in this distribution, the Com
munists would not consider merit at all. To
the latter humanity would be dead level Of
mediocrity. Both Socialists and Commun-
lists imagine social state after the present
which shall be far better for the mass Of
humanity; both have made practical expert
ments by founding communities to be man
aged according to their ideas. One OF these
communities, founded by CADET, the French
Communist, is still existing at lcaria, Iowa.
The relation Of the Anarchists to the Social
lists and Communists cannot be rigidly
defined, any more than the relation of the
Socialists and Communists to each other.
This distinction may be made, however.
The Socialists generally believe thoroughly
in the State as an agent Of good. They